Saying Goodbye

Tomorrow is my last day at ZooQuarium, and it is going to be very difficult to say goodbye to all the animals, especially saying goodbye to Jasper. It makes it even harder because Jasper still won't take food from anybody else. A keeper, Nat, who I work with calls him a "momma's boy" since he only will come to my hand for food. I just hope that when I visit he still knows who I am.

Well this summer has been very productive. I have been working at the zoo and a restaurant at night so I could save up enough money to go on an EcoLife Expedition next summer in South Africa. I was able to save enough too!
Working at ZooQuarium is not just about doing presentations everyday in front of the public, but also opening the zoo which includes cleaning everything, doing rounds, and making all the animals' diets and feeding them out. I also worked at the front desk in the admission/gift shop area when needed. It gets pretty hectic working at a zoo, but I love it. I find myself doing odd jobs and different tasks everyday. It's quite an experience. I have now been working at ZooQuarium for three summers in a row and I plan on going back to visit during all my school breaks and working there next summer when I get back from Africa. I'm probably going to stop in to see Jasper before I even go see my parents every time I go home for a school break.

Jasper has been the biggest inspiration in my life, and I wouldn't trade my time I spent with him this summer for anything else in the world. I know I will never forget about Jasper and the bond we've formed, and I just hope that he doesn't forget about me.